Aisling Reidy is fouled. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’S HOPES of All-Ireland glory in the intermediate ladies football final were dashed by Kildare on Sunday afternoon.
Kildare 2-11
Clare 2-10
Venue: Croke Park
Contesting their first All-Ireland decider since 2016, Clare again came up short with Kildare once more proving to be their kryptonite.
It came down to the very last kick to decide the winner with Kildare holding off a ravenous final quarter from Clare. The hooter had sounded when Ciara McCarthy was fouled meaning the last chance from Fidelma Marrinan 45m from goal had to be converted in order to force a share of the spoils.
Unfortunately the shot from the Querrin native who had been Clare’s leading light in this campaign came up inches short and dropped in front of the goal seeing Kildare win their second intermediate title. Indeed she finishes the year as the top scorer across all championships.
Despite kicking four of the last five scores, two of which were goals Clare’s comeback just fell short with a relieved Kildare getting to lift the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup.
Matters looked very positive when Clare raced into an early two point advantage inside the first seven minutes but this optimism came asunder when Kildare put together a scoring spree of 1-02 on the bounce in four minutes, not alone did it shift matters on the scoreboard but it somehow evaporated all of their self-belief, this did not resurface until the fifty third minute.
Kildare ran through the spine of the Clare defence at ease, the pace of their counter-attacks causing problems for the Banner side who took their opponents to extra time when it came to their showdown in the National League final earlier this year.
Two frees from Fidelma got Clare off the mark but Kildare responded with 1-03 in succession. Wing forward Trina Duggan was left unmarked and duly hit with a pass by Neasa Dooley to give Kildare their opening goal on ten minutes.
Kildare struck for goal number two with twenty one minutes on the clock. A short kickout from Amy Lenihan to Caoimhe Harvey was intercepted by Ellen Dowling who only had the St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield clubwoman to beat in the net and that she did to put Kildare firmly in control.
By the half-time whistle they led 2-06 0-05 with Clare failing to score from play for the entirety of the opening half.
Chloe Moloney was first on the board on the restart with thirty four minutes played, Kildare responded with a Roisin Byrne free before an excellent Moloney pass found Cliodhna Blake who duly split the posts with Clare’s first score from play on thirty eight minutes.
Play was disrupted when Lauren Burke sustained a serious knee injury at the midway stage of the half but Wayne Freeman’s side discovered some determination and gusto entering the final straight to really make a game of the contest.
Ciara McCarthy’s introduction brought a focus on creating more scoring opportunities which they did, crucially they spurned too many of them, six scoreable chances were missed in the second half and will be rued when the game is dissected, given the final scoreline.
Marrinan brought the gap back to six points on fifty three minutes before Dooley and Dowling replied at the other end.
1-01 from Marrinan brought life to the Clare challenge, the goal well manufactured after a Chloe Moloney free was sent into the danger area. Blake added her second from play before Moloney herself raised a green flag and suddenly Clare trailed by a single point.
Time against the comeback with the buzzer sounding on their final attack and the pressure kick from Marrinan fell just short and with it Clare’s chance of All-Ireland glory.
Great joy was experienced by Kildare in ripping open the spine of the Clare team on counter-attacks, it was their platform for the majority of their scores while the two goals arose from lapses in concentration from the girls in saffron and blue. Their better balance of potent forwards was central to the win on a day when Lara Gilbert, Ruth Sargent, Neasa Dooley, Roisin Byrne and Ellen Dowling stood out for them.
In contrast, Clare’s attacking threat was absent, they kicked just 2-02 from play and had only three different scorers, aspects that are not common on successful teams on final days. The manner in which they fought back was expected and is to be commended but the biggest day on a positive and progressive campaign is clouded with disappointment. Caoimhe Harvey, Laurie Ryan, Áine Keane and Cliodhna Blake led the fightback with Fidelma Marrinan and Chloe Moloney the main attacking threats.
Scorers Kildare: Roisin Byrne (0-06 4f), Ellen Dowling (1-01), Neasa Dooley (0-03 1f), Trina Duggan (1-00), Lara Gilbert (0-01).
Scorers Clare: Fidelma Marrinan (1-05 5f), Chloe Moloney (1-03 3f), Cliodhna Blake (0-02)
Kildare:
1: Mary Hulgraine (Moorefield)
2: Lauren Burke (Naas)
3: Laoise Lenehan (Kill)
4: Aoife Clifford (Eadestown)
7: Lauren Murtagh (Milltown)
6: Ruth Sargent (Eadestown)
5: Lars Gilbert (Kildangan Nurney)
9: Aoife Rattigan (Cappagh)
8: Grace Clifford (Eadestown)
10: Trina Duggan (Suncroft)
12: Claire Sullivan (Carbury)
13: Ellen Dowling (Suncroft)
11: Neasa Dooley (Athy)
14: Roisin Byrne (Sarsfields)
15: Lara Curran (Miltown)
Subs:
19: Grainne Kennedy (Eadestown) for Duggan (43)
20: Mia Doherty (Leixlip) for Rattigan (48)
18: Fiona Troute (Athy) for Burke (51) (inj)
21: Orlaith Sullivan (Carbury) for Curran (58)
Clare:
1: Amy Lenihan (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
4: Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
3: Siofra Ní Chonaill (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
2: Áine Keane (St Joseph’s Miltown)
5: Louise Griffin (Fergus Rovers)
6: Caoimhe Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
7: Orla Devitt (Éire Óg)
8: Aisling Reidy (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
14: Cliodhna Blake (Doonbeg)
10: Laurie Ryan (Banner Ladies)
11: Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)
15: Caoimhe Cahill (Banner Ladies)
12: Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
9: Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
13: Laura Griffey (Fergus Rovers)
Subs:
22: Megan Downes (Cooraclare) for Griffin (12)
20: Ciara McCarthy (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Griffey (40)
25: Roisin Looney (Cooraclare) for Cahill (46).
27: Sinead Considine (Liscannor) for Sexton (55)
30: Joanna Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Devitt (64)
Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)
